Getting there....

The flooring project is moving right along.  I would say it is about 2/3 finished.  

This portion remains to be completed.  There is one strip of carpet still in place.

This is the final piece of carpet to be removed.

This is where the flooring meets the kitchen vinyl.  It was just a bit of a challenge finding the piece that would be appropriate for the transition from hardwood to vinyl.

I have commented to someone that the only help I am is to suggest that he might want to do the living room floor next.:-)  I'm not sure this winter will be long enough for that.:-)

Have a tip-top Thursday!

The staff of life - Cookbook Wednesday....

"Long ago, and far away," in the time before bread machines....

....there were cookbooks for breads.  In fact, there still are!  

This one comes from 35 years ago, but was originally copyrighted in 1966, nearly 50 years ago.

The loose pages indicate the use this cookbook has seen.

The section on Sourdough Breads has been particularly useful.  In the past, that is.  It has been several years since I've kept sourdough going here.

Sourdough English Muffins have been a favorite, and this has a whole grain version which we really like.

Sourdough pancakes and waffles - even using buckwheat flour - have also been popular here!

Other recipes have been used as well.  

This shows the Parmesan Cheese and Dill Bread version.  Yum!

I will be linking with Louise at Months of Edible Celebrations today.  

Do you enjoy baking bread? 

Look what we have!

I didn't really expect this on this morning.

Before I went out for the newspaper.  The darkness didn't permit a good picture.

Just a few minutes later.  Daylight is arriving quickly.

Schools are on a two-hour delay here, and light snow is continuing to fall as I write this.  

There are some followers of this blog who live in the northeast.  I'm hoping you will not lose power and any inconvenience due to this storm will be very slight.  Keep warm, and stay safe!

Oh, dear....

This is happening outside....

....while this is going on inside!

Those green shoots are peeping up from the ground while this pot of soup is bubbling away!  Last week's springlike temperatures must have given those bulbs the signal that it was time for their appearance.  Winter is back with us this week!  

Sunday, January 25, 2015....

From Apples of Gold, compiled by Jo Petty, are these words:

                                "Real prayer always does one of two things:

                                 It either frees us from the trouble we fear or

                                 else it gives us the strength and courage to

                                 meet the trouble when it comes."

The Mission Focus for today as listed in the UMW 2015 Prayer Calendar is the Bethlehem Center of Charlotte in Charlotte, North Carolina.

May this day be one of love, joy, and peace for you! 

An anniversary....

A special day is coming up tomorrow for someone I know.  My sister and her husband will celebrate their 46th wedding anniversary.  I just want to take time to send them my wishes for a special day!

Happy Anniversary, Sister!

It is a process....

....but progress is being made!

The white splotches on the sub-flooring are from sheet rock "mud" when the house was being built.  That must be scraped up before the black paper is put in place, then the hardwood comes on top of that.  It's turning out to be a good "winter project" for The Husband.  

On the shelf....

Continuing on with this Cookbook Wednesday series, I have taken a book that I have never used from the shelf.  

A collection of recipes from cookbooks across my native state, it has been part of my cookbook library for a number of years.

The table of contents looks interesting.

There are recipes for every occasion inside the book.

This one is good for a small number.....

....while you might consider this one if you are serving more than 40!

Do you have plans to entertain for the Super Bowl?  This might be a possibility.

Then there is this one that sounds good for those of us who are conscious of our sodium and calorie intake.

Only one more Wednesday for this Cookbook Wednesday series that Louise at Months of Edible Celebrations has been sponsoring.  I'm looking for just the right one to close out the series!  There are several options available.:-)  I think you would be able to check out other blogs by going to monthsofediblecelebrations.blogspot.com.

Winter....

Do you remember this?

That woolly worm from a few months ago predicted a long, cold winter.  I'm not sure he had his signals straight.  Today's high temperature here is predicted to be near 60 degrees, and this is the third week in January!  Is this winter?:)

Monday, January 19, 2015....

Today is Martin Luther King, Jr. Day.   

       "Darkness cannot drive out darkness; only light can do that.

           Hate cannot drive out hate; only love can do that."

This is only one of the many inspiring quotes from Dr. King.  One that I just read today follows:

        "Man must evolve for all human conflict a method which rejects revenge, 

         aggression, and retaliation."

Need I say more?

Sunday, January 18, 2015....

Today's quote once again comes from Apples of Gold, compiled by Jo Petty.

                                "Do all the good you can

                                 By all the means you can

                                 In all the ways you can

                                 In all the places you can

                                 At all the times you can

                                 To all the people you can

                                  As long as ever you can."

These are actually words of John Wesley, as written in his Rules of Conduct.  John Wesley was the founder of the Methodist Church.

As listed in the United Methodist Women 2015 Prayer Calendar, today's Mission Focus is the Bethlehem Center in Jackson, Mississippi.

May this be a day of love, joy, and peace for you.

Progress....

....has been made here.  We have gone from this....

....to this:

The Husband is hard at work!

Setting the table....

....in January calls for blue and white in our house.

Strawberry and Vine Wedgewood china; Diane by Princess cup and saucer.

Someone had omitted the flatware!:-)  Oneida pattern - Chateau; cup and saucer - Blue Danube

Oops! Still missing flatware!  No pattern mentioned for the cups and saucers.  The one in the lower left is Staffordshire tableware, made in England.  The one in the upper left is Barratts, also made in England.

Cheerful snowman napkin ring, on sale at Stein Mart several years ago; napkin - gift from Country Girl.

When I was teaching, the first craft we would do after the winter break was to make snowflakes to adorn our classroom.  Very often those would be the only snowflakes we would see throughout the entire winter season.  This may be the only snowman we see this winter.  Some of you have probably already seen enough of them this season!:-)

A southern "staple...."

.....would be this, found in many kitchens in the south - and probably elsewhere, too!

This edition is from 1987, and it has found many uses in our kitchen.

These have been some of our favorites.

In past years, Southern Living staff traveled around to various locations and held Cooking Schools.

Recipes were printed in booklets like this one.  

Does this show you what a popular choice this version of Rumaki has been? :-)

There was even a "Cookbook for Two" in 1981!  I hadn't had this one in my collection until I checked it out at the library and decided to try to find it for sale.  As you can see, I was successful in my search.

This has been well-received by The Husband!

Readers of this blog are in several locations in different areas of the country.  Is there a magazine or publication that is well-known for your region?

Hopefully you will go to monthsofediblecelebrations.blogspot.com today to see other entries for Cookbook Wednesday!

No snow....

We've had no snow here at this point, so I depend on these for that winter atmosphere:

No melting! :-)

Project underway....

There is a project underway....

.....involving this.....

....and this....

...with the hope that when finished the appearance will resemble this!

Presently, it looks like this:

So - The Husband has his "cold weather project" underway!

Do you have a special project for the cold weather?

Sunday, January 11, 2014....

This quote comes from Apples of Gold, compiled by Jo Petty.

                                 "A man is rich according to what he is,

                                      not according to what he has."

The Mission Focus for today, as listed in the 2015 United Methodist Women Prayer Calendar, is the Atlantic Street Center, Seattle, Washington.  

May this day be one which finds you surrounded by love, joy, and peace.

Nature's birdfeeders....

Earlier - several months ago, actually - there were pictures of broom corn that I featured on the blog.  This was "volunteer" broom corn, or perhaps it was the plan of the birds to provide for themselves a source of food during some of the winter weather.  

These are not going to be outstanding pictures, but hopefully you will be able to see how that broom corn is serving the birds at this time.  

Are you able to see the cardinal perched on top of this broom corn?  I had to take the picture through the window in the door, and this is as close as I was able to stand.

There is another cardinal on the ground, also benefitting from some of the broom corn seed.  I wonder if there will be enough seed remaining for it to sow itself next growing season.

Have a great week-end!  Keep warm!

On the list....

Have you made a reading list for 2015?  Reading has been one of my favorite pasttimes for as long as I can remember, and I have already thought about what I will be reading.

These are from the United Methodist Women Reading List for 2015.

These are also on the list....

....as well as these.  

This is the first one I have begun reading, however.

I think it fits right into reading during basketball season.:-)

Have you begun reading for 2015 yet?